


Fight This Feeling

by Gone_Gravy



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-20
Updated: 2017-07-20
Packaged: 2018-12-04 19:40:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 19,501
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11561994
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gone_Gravy/pseuds/Gone_Gravy
Summary: What will Regina and Emma do when they find out that what they thought they knew isn't true? Swan Queen fic.





	1. Playing it Not So Cool

**Author's Note:**

> This is a fic of mine from FanFiction.net that I decided to bring over here. I hope you guys enjoy it. Disclaimer: I wish I did, but I don't own OUAT or the characters used in this.

_Regina, Madame Mayor, the Evil Queen…_

No matter how the blonde thought of the brunette who adopted her son, the mere thought of her still made her heart flutter. There was every reason to loathe Regina after what she had done to her family, what happened to her as a consequence, but that was the last emotion she was feeling.

Emma let out a loud sigh through her pink lips as she shook her head to shake the thoughts. Mary Margaret came down the metal staircase, her normal, cheerful self.

“Good morning!” The pixie haired brunette said when she saw her daughter already up at the table over a cup of coffee. She went straight to the coffee maker herself, smiling brightly when she saw her mug already waiting for her.

“Morning,” Emma muttered. Another audible sigh came from the blonde as her body slumped down, her head resting atop of her arms on the table. She was still in her pajamas- gray sweat pants and a white tank top- not feeling the need to change when she had nowhere to go.

Mary Margaret instantly picked up on the dismal mood. The woman sat down in the chair across from the blonde, a worried countenance reaching her hazel eyes. “What’s the matter, Emma?” Her head tilted slightly. Green orbs glanced up to the woman. “Nothing.” She said candidly, hoping her mother would drop it.

Normally the brunette didn’t push when someone didn’t want to talk about something, but for the past week, her daughter had been moping around the apartment with no intentions of getting dressed and going out. The blonde had even refused to see her own son. At first, Mary Margaret thought the mood would pass, but she was proven wrong. Her pale hand outstretched to touch the fair skinned hand. “Emma, you haven’t been outside of this apartment in a week. Something must be wrong.”

Silence.

A full week had passed since she interacted with the outside world? Surely that wasn’t true. It seemed Regina had more than just a mental hold on the sheriff. Emma wanted nothing more than to tell her mother what she was thinking and feeling, but she couldn’t. She knew her mother wouldn’t fully understand her internal conflict. It was no secret the history the mayor and Mary Margaret had in the past, one that still made a heavy impact in both women when they had to deal with one another. One that would no doubt be cast upon her situation in a heartbeat.

Pulling her hand back, the blonde rose out of her chair. Her bare feet shuffled against the hardwood floor as she went to place her mug in the sink. “Don’t worry about me, Mary Margaret. I’ll go to work today,” Emma turned around and gave a reassuring smile.

* * *

 

Being back in a familiar environment was somewhat comforting for the fair skinned female. After a week of missing work, there was a stack of papers left on her desk. Emma relished in the pile, it giving her a momentary peace from her own mind. The stack had reduced significantly to just a few papers within thirty minutes. Normally Emma would’ve given herself a pat on the back for a job well done, but the last two pages halted her celebratory state.

Each paper required another signature. The mayor’s signature. Emma could feel her stomach twist tightly into a knot at the thought of facing the brunette woman who was the exposition for her recent isolation. With a small sigh, the blonde tapped the papers on her desk to straighten them out. She looked up at the clock already knowing Regina would be at her office. _Just play it cool and she won’t notice a thing, Swan._

* * *

 

Emma Swan was nothing more than a thorn in the mayor’s side. _A gorgeous, sexy, tempting…_ Regina squeezed her eyes shut to place the thought out of her mind. For weeks the brunette had been having unnecessary thoughts about the savior. One’s that came accompanied with feelings. Feelings she couldn’t quite place.

As usual, the tanned woman threw herself into work and Henry to take her mind off of the blonde. The blonde that hadn’t shown her face in a week. It took everything in Regina to not stop by Mary Margaret’s apartment to check up on her. Countless times prior the woman had expressed her dislike for both women. Countless times it was reciprocated. So why now, after everything, did her heart and mind begin to play cruel jokes on her?

The door to her office flew open as a blonde came through with her eye sore of a red leather jacket, stopping at her desk. _Speak of the devil._ A pale hand dropped papers onto her desk, covering the one she’d been reading the same sentence on for the past twenty minutes. Brown eyes lifted from the documents meeting the bluish-green ones. Something was amiss in them. Plump lips broke apart to speak. “What-”

“They need your signature.” The blonde cut her off in a tone that was more conflicting than her countenance. Emma instantly cursed herself for her slip up. _So much for playing it cool Swan._ Skimming through the two pages, the mayor picked up her pen and signed them, not really caring as to what any of them were referring to. The only thing that remained on her mind was the pale woman before her.

Regina started to hand the papers back then pulled away, sitting them back down on her desk as she stood. “Sit down for a moment and have a drink. You look like you need one.” The mayor motioned towards the furniture to the right of them.

Emma hesitated for a minute. Anytime the mayor was nice to her a threat seemed to follow. But she did need a drink and bad. Complying, the tall woman trudged towards the couch, the brunette in tow.

The mayor went to the small bar, pulling out two tumblers. She placed ice into them before pouring the brown liquid into each glass. Her heels echoed when they moved near the sheriff. Regina handed a glass to Emma, sitting down next to her, crossing her legs.

Fair-skinned hands received the glass with a small smile on her pink lips. “Thanks.” Their fingertips brushed lightly, sending a voltage through the blonde’s arm. Green eyes looked to the tanned woman to see if she’d felt it too. If she had, she didn’t show it.

It was silent for a moment. Both women didn’t know what to really say. Regina brought the glass up to her plump lips, taking a sip of cider through them before resting it in her hands placed on her lap. “I hope you have a good reason for not being into work for the past week.”

She knew it. Emma raised her eyebrows, trying to find an excuse as to her absence. “I-”

“This town cannot have a sheriff missing in action Miss Swan. You’re lucky nothing happened during your little vacation.” Her tone was sharp, mayoral, but her underlying reasoning behind the scold was quite the opposite. A twinge of regret passed through the brunette’s eyes as the blonde’s head lowered in guilt. She couldn’t bear to see the woman look like that. Especially knowing it was her fault.

Regina let a sigh pass through her lips. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have gone off on you like that.”

The blonde’s eyebrows hit her hairline. Did she just… _apologize_ for her scolding? What had gotten into the mayor since their last meeting? The mayor never apologized for _anything_ she’d done. So why do so from a mere scold? “It’s okay. You were right to. To go off and not tell you I went on vacation is intolerable. I promise it won’t happen again.”

“Emma,” the mayor shifted in her spot, pulling invisible lint off of her black pencil skirt, ignoring the surprised look she got from the pale woman at the use of her first name. “I know we’ve never seen eye to eye on anything, except for Henry’s safety, but…” she let out a heavy sigh, brown eyes looking straight ahead as the brunette tried to word her question in a way that made it seem like it wasn’t from her. “My son wanted to know if you were okay. Ever since he came home from visiting Mary Margaret’s apartment he’s been worried about you so I promised him to ask next time we saw each other.”

It was like the mayor to know everything that went on in her town. Especially when it involved her son. The woman aforementioned sat back on the couch and pulled her knees up to her chest. She rested her head on top of her right knee, green eyes on Regina. “Tell him…”

She hesitated. What, was she supposed to tell the brunette the truth? That it was, in fact, _her_ who got to the blonde so much to the point she couldn’t focus on anything? No, that wouldn’t have been wise at all. In a way, it would be allowing the older woman a sense of victory. Emma couldn’t have that over her head. But she had to tell her something. Henry needed to know that she was okay. “Tell him that I just needed a bit of time alone to figure some things out and that I’m sorry if I made him worry. That wasn’t my intention.”

The mayor glanced over to the sheriff with a haughty laugh. “Your intentions are seldom good Miss Swan,” she retorted, “But nevertheless I will relay the message to him.”

“Thanks.” Emma gave a half smile before her mind trailed once more. Although still vindictive, the laugh sent warmth spreading from her heart throughout her body. She’d notice the Queen’s beauty prior, it was hard to miss, but now that she wasn’t at the woman’s throat about something, she had the time to study her.  Eyes scanned tanned skin carefully, not missing anything. The woman was the epitome of perfection. Even the scar above her top lip was perfectly imperfect. Emerald eyes finally met chestnut. “I love the way you laugh.” Emma thought.

Regina scoffed. “Miss Swan, that was highly inappropriate!” _Fuck. Way to go, twice already Swan._ Cheeks burned red in embarrassment as Emma scrambled to her feet. “I’m sorry. I-I should go…” The words rushed out on top of each other as she almost ran out of the door back to her bug.

The mayor watched the blonde leave her office in haste. If looks could kill Emma would have been a pile of dust. After the door closed, Regina let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding. Her heart pounded loudly in her ears. She squeezed her eyes shut trying to rid of the only sentence that replayed in her mind. _“I love the way you laugh…”_


	2. How Do I Deal?

Five days had passed since the encounter in the mayor’s office. Five days of restless nights for the brunette. Brown eyes stared past the darkness onto the ceiling, a hobby she’d picked up after her first sleepless night. A sigh escaped through plump lips. Emma had made sure to go through great lengths at avoiding her. If it weren’t for Henry, she wouldn’t know that the sheriff was doing just fine. _She’s sleeping soundly while I’m still awake._ Another sigh passed through as brown eyes flickered to the alarm clock on her nightstand. _2:28 AM._ Regina had to be up in four more hours. All she really wanted to do was stay home. _Or better yet, visit Miss Swan…_ Regina closed her eyes to shut out the thought and turned on her right hoping sleep would consume her soon.

 

* * *

 

 

_Five hours later…_

“She shoots and she…” The paper ball hits the rim of the trashcan just outside of the office then flies off towards the entrance, joining the previous twenty balls that missed. A pale hand ran through golden tresses as a sigh escaped pink lips. “Why do I even try?” Emma mumbled. Green eyes glanced around the clean desk. Since playing catch up on a week’s load of paperwork, no other paperwork or major issues were brought to her attention for the past few days. That left Emma alone with her thoughts and countless games of paper toss. Every chance her mind got it wandered to the incident with the mayor five days prior. Well, it wasn’t really an incident, just an embarrassing moment. Since then, the blonde made it her top priority to avoid Regina at all costs. Awkward confrontations, especially with _that_ woman, were something Emma hated more than shitty pick-up lines.

Regina was simply the one person she couldn’t get out of her mind. Almost every night she had awaken to yet another sex dream and heat between her thighs. Emma was simply intoxicated by the brunette. Maybe even like her. _No, not_ maybe _, I do like her._ _But how do I tell the woman who hates me that I_ like _her? How do I deal with her after?_

As if on cue unmistakable high heels made their way down the hallway and into the silent room. Each click echoed on the floor, stepping over the mess of balls in the way of the entrance and stopping in the office door. Regina was about to knock on the door when she noticed the blonde lost in a deep thought. The mayor studied the woman carefully. Blonde tresses spiraled down the woman’s back, tamed as much as they could be. Brown eyes trailed over bear arms, taking in the muscle definition. For a woman who never worked out, she had an athletic form. Emma’s expression was soft; the most feminine the woman had ever looked. Her eyes were distant. Something unrecognizable passed through them. _Still,_ “You’re absolutely beautiful.”

A familiar voice ripped the blonde out of her thoughts. Green eyes gazed upon the figure standing in the doorway, a sense of dread churning in her stomach as she finally met familiar eyes. _So much for avoiding her._ “What?”

“I said tax payer’s money is hard at work I see.” The mayor inclined her head towards the paper balls she passed on the way in, sarcasm dripping with every word that left her lips. Her face kept a disinterested look while on the inside relief flooded her system. If the sheriff had heard her outspoken thought, who knows what would’ve happened again?

Emma glanced at the mess she made and merely shrugged. “Of course. Never let pieces of paper go to waste…unless you’re playing paper toss with them.” The blonde smiled up at the woman as she rolled her eyes. “To what do I owe the pleasure, Madame Mayor?” Regina pushed off the side of the door and walked further in. She stopped in front of the desk and pulled out a brown envelope. Much like Emma did before, she tossed it on the desk, covering the blank paper that was about to become the next crumpled victim. “I believe you left these at my office.”

The sheriff picked up the envelope, peeking into it before sitting it back down on her desk. “You came all the way over here just to personally hand me two sheets of paper?” An eyebrow rose as she watched the woman nod.  Emma shrugged and stood, walking to the file cabinet to place the papers in.

Regina watched, fully aware that she was supposed to take her leave. But she couldn’t. She needed to get to the bottom of what was keeping her up at night. And why she was being avoided. “Why have you been avoiding me?”

Emma turned around quickly, her eyes wide with surprise. “I’m-”

“Don’t lie to me, Miss Swan. I know when someone’s avoiding me. Is it because of what happened at my office a few days ago?” Regina cut her off, stepping closer to Emma.

The very thing that she had been avoiding for five days and five sleep interrupted nights had finally caught up to her. And Emma didn’t know how to respond any better than when she ran out of the mayor’s office. She opened her mouth then closed it, letting out a sigh as she just nodded. “It is. I don’t know what came over me. I guess…I got caught up in the moment or something…” Emma replied truthfully.

_Well,_ that _wasn’t what I expected._ Regina snorted. “Or something is right.” Brown eyes studied green for a few minutes. “Did you…mean it?”

The question came out so quietly, Emma had to step closer into Regina’s personal space to hear it. “Believe it or not, I did. And I still do,” she smiled down at the mayor, her voice low but stern. It wasn’t until that moment when she realized how tired the brunette actually looked beneath the makeup.

Regina looked up into emerald eyes. For the first time in a long time, a genuine smile graced her lips. One that reflected back on Emma’s lips just as beautiful. The mayor noticed the closeness of their bodies, noting that their lips were even closer. Her mind screamed for her to step back, to create a boundary, but she wanted her dreams about being close to the blonde to be true for one.

Before her body and mind could make a unanimous decision, pink lips captured her own, catching her by surprise. Regina knew she should fight it, but she didn’t put up even the slightest. The kiss was gentle, probably the most graceful thing Emma was ever capable of. Tanned hands found her hips and pulled the tall body flush to her own as she slipped her tongue into Emma’s waiting mouth, deepening the kiss. Emma’s pale fingers tangled in brown locks as the older woman let out a soft moan into her mouth. They remained there, lost in each other’s embrace for what felt like hours until the need of oxygen caused Regina to break the kiss first.

Chestnut eyes locked onto emeralds once more as they both tried to catch their breaths. “Miss Swan, I…” Her gaze glanced down at the lips only an inch away from her own then back up. “I don’t know what to say…”

Emma scoffed. “Your Majesty, are you… _speechless?_ If I knew a kiss was the way to shut you up I would’ve done it weeks ago.” She joked. Regina slapped her arm playfully, pulling away from the blonde as she narrowed her eyes. “As if you haven’t pushed your luck enough, Miss Swan. First the slip up in my office and now this,” she pointed between them. “What do you have to say for yourself?”

A cocky smirk played on Emma’s lips. Not an ounce of anger was in Regina’s words or actions. It was as if she’d been waiting all along for the kiss to happen. “You liked them. Especially this one.” A grin replaced the smirk as she went to peck the woman on the lips, expecting to be swatted away, but instead welcomed. Her grin only widened. “See? If you ask me, I’d say you like me.” Emma teased.

Regina waved her hand, dismissing the accusation. “It’s a good thing I didn’t ask you then. Now if you’ll excuse me, I must be on my way. Papers won’t sign themselves.” The older woman moved past Emma without a second glance as she exited the office.

* * *

 

It had been two months since the kiss with Emma and yet Regina’s heart still found itself unable to resort back to its normal rhythm. “How could I let her do that?” She whispered to herself. _If you ask me,_ _I’d say you like me._ “How could _I_ do that? I hate her!” _No, you don’t. She’s right, you do like her._ Regina shakes her head, banishing all thoughts of Emma with the action.

Ever since their lip-to-lip encounter at the sheriff’s office, the mayor couldn’t seem to have a single thought or dream without Emma worming her way into the forefront. If she wasn’t in her mind for once the blonde seemed to pop up everywhere she went. Emma’s words replayed in her mind hourly. The brunette found she was unable to deny them or the thoughts trailing back to who they came from. “I do like you, dear. You have no idea how much I do.” She let out a sigh.

Brown eyes caught sight of the clock. It was lunch time. _Thank God._ The mayor stood and grabbed her bag in one swift movement, slipping from behind her desk in another.

* * *

 

The bell chimed above the door as always when a customer walked into Granny’s. Nobody bothered to look the mayor’s way when she entered and moved to sit in a booth near the back. She sat facing the door, glaring out of the window when Ruby sauntered up and blocked her view. “What can I get for you, Mayor Mills?” The young woman asks, readying her pencil and ticket. From behind the bell chimed again causing a chill to go down the older woman’s spine and her impatience to grow rapidly. “I’ll have my usual Miss Lucas.” A mayoral smile plastered her lips as she handed her menu to Ruby. “Thank you.” She nodded as the young woman walked away.

As soon as the skimpily dressed waitress moved out of the way, brown eyes locked on to green ones still standing at the door. A smirk graced the sheriff’s lips as she made her way over to the woman. The corners of her plump lips tugged up into a small smile, her heart increasing pace yet again.

Emma sat opposite of Regina, her smirk never faltering. “Are you stalking me?”

At that, all signs of happiness to see the blonde faded and were replaced with one of annoyance. “If I recall, it was _you_ who came into this diner after me, dear.”

The blonde snorted, leaning in over the table. “Yes, but it was _you_ who has been keeping tabs on me. First when I took a week off, then when you noticed my absence for five days, and when I got sick and had to stay in bed for two weeks. If _I_ recall, you even visited me quite a few times one of those two weeks.”

“I was merely doing my job, dear,” the mayor leaned forward, brown eyes breaking contact to look down at pink lips before she had time to stop them.  “Unlike some people around here, I’m not the one showing up everywhere you go.” Regina pulled back and cleared her throat at the sound of Ruby arriving with her order. “Here you go Mayor Mills,” the brunette turned to Emma, “what can I get for you, sheriff?”

Regina ran her foot along Emma’s leg once the waitress turned her attention away to test her. “The us-” Emma gasped, her thighs being forced open by the woman across from her. The blonde glanced at the brunette for a brief second before returning her gaze to her friend whose face was clear of concern. She flashed a reassuring smile and continued while the heel found its way back down her leg. “I’ll have the usual. Thanks, Rubes.” The waitress stalked away again into the kitchen to give her order.

“What the hell was that Regina?!”

“What was what, dear?” The mayor arched an eyebrow in the innocent expression she wore, fighting back the urge to smirk.

Emma narrowed her eyes. “You know exactly what I’m talking about.”

Regina shrugged, placing a forkful of salad in her mouth as she stared at the blonde. A flicker of irritation crossed her eyes when Ruby interrupted yet again to give Emma her food and hot cocoa, but she didn’t let it break their contact. Waiting until the wolf was out of sight yet again; Regina leaned forward and kissed the stunned woman quickly, stealing a fry in the process.

“Hey!” Emma’s cheeks burned as her eyes darted around the diner to see if anyone saw what the mayor had just done then to the woman herself.

The mayor chuckled at the blonde’s reaction; the latter’s face softening at the sound. “Relax dear; I made sure nobody could see. Besides,” her teeth caught the stolen fry in between them, tearing off the top half and chewing it quickly. “I was actually hoping you’d come to my house for dinner tonight? Henry’s spending the night with a friend and it’s lasagna night. We usually eat at six so it’d be nice if you arrived on time for once.”

Emma studied the woman, her eyes searching hers for anything that might seem evil.  Sensing the hesitation, Regina gave her a reassuring smile. “Come on, it’s just a normal dinner. I promise.” Finding nothing but the truth in the older woman’s words, the blonde sighed. “Fine.”


	3. Actions Speak Louder Than Words

“What do you wear to dinner with the mayor?” Emma mumbled to herself. It was the question of the day since the minute she was invited. She had been rummaging through her wardrobe for over an hour and still didn’t find anything worth wearing. The blonde even took off work on her lunch break to search for something, routing all calls to her cell in case there was an emergency. Now, there was only an hour before she was supposed to be at the mansion and she was still standing in her underwear. After their first kiss, the blonde wanted to find a way to impress Regina, to show the woman that she could, in fact, be feminine and confess her increasing infatuation. And this was the way to do it. Or so she’d thought. Finally relenting to the obvious fact that she had no decent dress to wear, Emma sighed heavily and flopped down on the bed.

“Still can’t find anything to wear?” Mary Margaret asked from the doorway. Ever since the pixie-haired brunette got home, Emma was up in her room searching for an outfit to meet the mayor’s approval. Although Snow didn’t trust Regina, she decided to give her a chance to prove herself. If Emma trusted her then she would do her best to stay out of the way and let her daughter be happy.

The blonde tilted her head towards her roommate. “Not one thing. I have less than an hour to get there. You don’t have anything, do you?” Emma asked, hopeful that she might not have to go in her current state. _Though it would be a good dessert._

Her mother thought for a few seconds before nodding. “Coming to think of it, I just might.” She turned on her heels and headed to her bedroom knowing Emma would follow. It didn’t take the school teacher long to rummage through her closet and pull out the article of clothing. The dress was red, a deep v neck that plunged down mid-valley of Emma’s chest, a black sash with diamonds encrusted on its waistline. She held it up for Emma to inspect. “I know you don’t like dresses, but this is one I’ve never worn before and I thought-”

“It’s perfect!” Emma all but should as she closed the space between them with a tight hug. Anyone who knew the blonde knew that she wasn’t one for hugs, but it was the only way to express her gratitude. “A dress is just what I needed. Thank you, Mary Margaret.” She whispered in her ear and pulled back with the dress in her hand as she ran up the stairs two at a time to put it on.

A couple of minutes later, Emma descended down the stairs. The dress fit her perfectly in all the right places, her golden mane swept over her right shoulder, held in place by bobby pins, a pair of black stilettos Mary Margaret had never seen to complete the attire. Her mother couldn’t help but gasp when she noticed the woman wearing makeup also.

“Emma, you look…” She trailed off, green eyes sweeping over her daughter once more as she tried to find the right word. “Gorgeous.”

Green eyes met sparkling green as a grin began to take over Emma’s red lips. “Thanks. Don’t wait up.” Emma rushed over to the door, grabbing her black clutch with one hand and door knob with the other, running out of it quickly.

* * *

 

It had taken Emma less time to arrive at the mayor’s mansion than she had anticipated. She was unsure if it were due to the speeding or nervousness she’d been experiencing the entire way over there, but either way, she’d made it fifteen minutes ahead of time. Emma sat in front of Regina’s house, mentally preparing herself. _Okay, Swan, tonight’s your night to shine. To show that you_ can _dress and act like a woman. Let her know how much you like her._ The path seemed much longer than she’d remembered as she kept thinking, _don’t fuck up. Don’t fuck up._ When she made it up to the porch she inhaled sharply before exhaling all of her nerves and rung the doorbell, reigning in all of the confidence she could muster up with it. After what seemed like hours, the front door finally opened up.

Regina stared at the woman on the other side of her door, not recognizing who it was at first. Brown eyes scorched every inch of her pale skin as they took in the sight before them. “ _Miss Swan?”_ It took everything in the woman to keep her shock from making her jaw drop even further than it was. Normally the older woman was the one who made others feel underdressed, not the other way around. The air around the blonde was of pure confidence. One that drew her into a trance the longer she stared at the goddess.

No words were needed for the pale woman to know that the mayor approved of her dress. Maybe even impressed. She saw the lust within the brunette’s eyes, the involuntary lick of her bottom lip. It was enough to know that Regina found her highly appealing. Emma cleared her throat, brown eyes meeting green instantly. “May I come in?” Confidence rolled off her tongue in the simple question, one Regina didn’t miss.

The brunette stepped aside to allow the blonde in, finally finding her voice to say more than the woman’s name. “You look absolutely exquisite and-”

“Feminine?” A brow arched.

“I was going to say sensual, but yes that too. Come, the lasagna is almost ready.” Regina finally pulled herself away from Emma’s tantalizing body long enough to lead the way into the kitchen.

“You look exquisite yourself.” The blonde complimented back as she followed behind. The extra pair of heels clicking along with the mayor’s caused the shorter woman to glance down behind her and notice the choice of shoes. _Miss Swan, you aren’t as predictable as you appear._

Once they were inside the kitchen Regina pulled out two wine glasses and a bottle of wine from a cabinet out of Henry’s reach. She placed the items on the island Emma was across then went back to the second drawer on the right side of the sink to pull out the corkscrew. The cork made a loud _pop_ noise, filling the silence. Regina slid Emma her filled glass, smirking when she noticed the woman giving it the proper time to breathe before taking a sample.

“First you’re making my favorite meal and now you serve me with Cabernet Sauvignon?” She asked, finally circling the island to come on the same side as Regina. “I take back what I said before. You don’t like me, but _love_ me.”

It took everything in Regina to not drop her glass right on the floor, but the same couldn’t be said for her composure. _Love Emma Swan?_ Regina scoffed. Surely that couldn’t be the answer to that odd feeling she got when she was around the woman. Daniel was the only person she truly loved. “I think your dress is too tight Miss Swan, I do not love you. It is a mere coincidence that you happen to favor the wine and food. But I _do_ like you…”

Emma raised her eyebrows at the nonchalant admission. “Really?”

“Yes, quite a lot. It’s the reason I wanted you to come to dinner tonight. I suppose you can call it a date of some sort.” Regina admitted quietly, watching her finger trace the rim of the glass, finding she couldn’t look the blonde in the eyes.

“Regina,” Emma stepped closer, placing her finger under Regina’s chin so their eyes could meet. “I like you too. Why do you think I wore all of this?” She gestured to her dress, Regina’s eyes following. “I wanted to impress-” Red lips attacked unexpected ones hard as she pulled the body closer to her. Her hands slid up to Emma’s neck as she felt a pair of arms wrap around her waist. Just when Emma was about to deepen it, Regina pulled away for some air. Her lips left red lipstick stains along her jaw and neckline, smirking when the older woman let out a soft moan. “Emma…” Regina breathed, placing a hand on her shoulder but not pushing her away.

The oven went off, forcing the sheriff to pull away with a reluctant sigh. “I guess you should get that. Wouldn’t want to make you overcook my favorite meal.” Emma’s lips curled as she stepped back to allow the mayor to move past her to the oven.

Instead of responding, Regina ignored the sad attempt at a joke and grabbed the oven mitts from the side of the stove and bent down to open the oven. Green orbs couldn’t help but trail down the body right in front of her as she watched the woman pull the pan out and set it on the island before turning to grab their plates and silverware.

* * *

 

_The Next Morning…_

The alarm blared from the nightstand causing Regina to stir a bit. She tried to move her right arm but felt it pinned down by something, or rather someone. Brown eyes flickered under lashes to see what the restraint was, widening in shock at the mess of blonde corn silk curls and a pale body curled up into her. Regina lifted Emma’s head gently, pausing for a minute to make sure she didn’t wake her and pulled her arm free. Her bare body hovered over the younger woman’s as she hit the alarm off.

_What had happened the night before?_ All of the memories came flooding back into her mind instantaneously. Dinner went by relatively smooth. They remained mostly silent after their mini make out session in the kitchen that left them both wanting to go further and rush through dinner. Despite their insatiable desire and sudden heat between their legs, both parties remained in their seats eating at a normal pace.

After dinner, Regina led the woman into her study, her mind recalling the conversation word for word.

_“Miss-Emma, we need to talk.” The mayor started as she sat down across from Emma with her wine glass in her hands. Emma could sense and see the qualm playing within the woman, deciding to remain quiet and sequestered until she was ready to continue. She knew exactly where their conversation was headed. It was the one they had tried to avoid for months. Yet now, after what happened in the kitchen and their accession of fancying one another, it was only a matter of when Regina was going to bring it up throughout the evening._

_Regina contemplated on how to go about voicing what she was feeling. It was something that she hated to do but found it quintessential, to be honest with this woman. “I’m not very good at this..sharing what I’m feeling. I’ve spent so many years being heartbroken, lonely, and hateful that love or anything close to it became something I am incapable of having. Now I’m discovering that other than Henry, my father, and Daniel, I am capable of letting someone in again. Maybe even love once more.” Brown eyes glanced to the fireplace as silence enshrouded the room._

_“So…what exactly are you saying? I’m not good at any of this ‘expressing yourself’ type of thing either, but I know that whatever this is that we have building,” she pointed between the two of them. “is worth trying.”  Chestnut eyes meet emerald as the silence drags out between them. She searched the eyes for any kind of malice or trick being played on her before nodding and moving over to sit next to the blonde. “I was saying precisely that Miss Swan. I want to see where this takes us.”_

Right after that, all the mayor could remember was the look of Emma’s naked body, the same one next to her under the duvet, her kisses, the taste of her tongue, skin, and her sweet juices that dripped from her fingers the night prior. Regina smiled to herself. _I can get used to this._


	4. All You Have to do is Dream

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The italicized parts from here on out will be memories/thoughts.

_Leaves crunched under feet with every step they took through the forest. She was out of breath, but she couldn't, wouldn't, be found. The woman looked over her shoulder, unable to tell if she was still being followed or not. Just when she thought she'd gotten away, the young woman tripped over a fallen branch, falling onto her stomach with a loud grunt._

_Less than a minute later and added weight rested on her back. "I do believe this means that I win, dear," Regina smirked down at the blonde below her, flicking her long hair arrogantly over her shoulder._

_In an instant, the princess lifted her body to let the queen drop and straddled her waist with a grin. "I tripped, how can you take credit for a fallen branch?"Her eyes grew wide. "Did you put that branch there?!" Emma asked, the answer given with the older woman's silence. "Cheat-!" The blonde was silenced by plump lips._

_Regina pulled away a couple of centimeters after a few minutes. "Punish me." Those two simple words had the blonde already sitting up and untying the laces that sheltered the brunette's body from view. Seconds later the dress was removed followed shortly by the corset. Pale hands ran along her abdomen slowly, silky skin greeting her contact with coolness along with the familiar tingle of magic that flowed between the women each time they touched._

_As soon as Emma had tossed them aside, Regina was flipping them over yet again, taking a hold of the riding pants from the princess's earlier horse riding lesson and pulling them down, her hands moving to unbutton the blouse once the pants joined her clothes on the side. She tossed the white blouse aside only to be rolled on top of._

_Emma urged Regina's thighs apart and settled herself between them, noting the already soaked underwear as she peeled it off to reveal even more glistening skin from her increasing arousal. Her hot breath traced along the slick folds as Emma inhaled the familiar scent. Regina's shuddered, her hips bucking on their own accord. "Emma…" The blonde peered up into brown eyes; the exigency for her touch was evident._

_Instead of giving the older woman what she desired most, the younger woman pulled back, hovering her body over the one below as she lowered her mouth to Regina's, kissing her surprisingly with passion. Her passion was completely inimical to the new craving she had for the queen. She slid her hands past slender arms down to once bucking hips, resisting the urge to venture lower. Finally, pale fingers intertwined with olive fingers, flushing their bodies together._

_Regina could have spent the entire day with Emma in the forest playing games and ending it entangled in each other's embrace. Especially if it meant getting lost in the warmth of the princess's mouth. Everything about the Charming's daughter was perfection; an addiction Regina couldn't shake no matter what. Emma was the queen's own personal brand of heroin. A high she would never come down from._

_The satiny imbue of her mouth, the strokes of their tongues, neither moving to be dominating or submissive, but collaboratively, the way her teeth grazed her bottom lips but only nipped at it softly was not aiding the brunette at all. Regina pulled back feeling the woman just trail further down her body, sucking softly on her left nipple. "Emma…" She breathed out in a husky voice, Emma's own arousal amplifying._

_Sparkling lust darkened emeralds met mesmerizing sienna, a pleading look in her eyes resulting in the younger woman to finally comply with her silent plea. She separated their hands, allowing her arms to reach up and continue to massage the Queen's breasts gently, her thumbs circling over each stiffened nipple, drawing out a moan from both women with each complete circle._

_She placed a string of wet kisses from her navel to just above Regina's sex, smirking at the groan and hitched breathing she got in response. Her head buried deeper in between the thighs as her tongue swiped up the arousal from each side, collecting every last bit with her verbose, supine tongue. Regina tasted even more sublime than she did before. How was that even possible? Emma breathed on her sex once more before leaning in to take a swipe of the bundle of nerves, the slightly involuntary movement of hips rocking toward her mouth accompanied by the whimper cluing the princess in on just how sensitive and close the queen already was. The tip of her tongue trailed down from clit to entrance, sticking her tongue in just slightly._

_Regina clawed into the grass beneath them, fingernails getting dirt underneath them, as she attempted to ground herself while her hips bucked into the sudden intrusion, moving in sync with Emma's tongue. Her arousal had not gone unnoticed to herself; their game of cat and mouse being the initial culprit. But now she needn't worry, her need wasn't going to be put off any longer._

_Emma draped a leg over her shoulder for better access and placed a hand on Regina's hips to keep it down a bit as her tongue curled inside of her, enticing the muscles inside of her to a release she knew they were in need of as much as the woman they belonged to. Her tongue continued to caress Regina until she was visibly trembling beneath her hold. She withdrew her tongue, sliding up the slick folds until her mouth encircled the bundle of nerves once more, sucking it into her mouth as Regina cried out softly, her back arching off of the forest floor as she grew close to unraveling right in front of the blonde._

_The princess used her hand placed on her hip to stroke over the Queen's nipple, squeezing it gently between her thumb and forefinger as she sucked harder on her clit. "Emma…" Regina panted, unable to stifle a loud moan that forced its way between plump lips. Her fingers entangled in blonde tresses tightly as her muscles contracted, Emma's arousing moan sending her over the edge and into the moment of pure exaltation._

_Emma released her clit, stroking her tongue over sensitive flesh until she came down from her bliss. She kissed the woman softly, allowing her to taste herself on her tongue before pulling away and rolling beside the other woman._

_They laid there for a few minutes, green eyes observing the rise and fall of the chest beside her as it evened out. "That was…" A serene grin graced the queen's lips completing the sentence for her. "I love you."_

_Emma smiled. "I love you too, Your Majesty."_

_Regina stood with a reluctant sigh, grabbing her clothes and putting them on. "We must go. Your parents are due at the castle for lunch shortly. If we're late they will begin to wonder if something happened to their precious daughter since she's with the evil queen." She held out her hands, one to help the other woman up, the other to grab the pants still resting on the ground, smirking at the roll of green orbs at the mere thought of a frantic Snow if they arrived even a minute late._

* * *

 

Pallid eyelids fluttered open, the surroundings around the blonde being unfamiliar. The dream still lingered in her mind. It was one that kept reoccurring every night for the past four months. Green orbs glanced down to the white duvet as her dream faded away and the previous night replayed in her mind. Lips curved at the corners but soon faded when she discovered her companion was not beside her. To have seen the brunette sleeping peacefully beside her after what had transpired between them would have probably made Emma's entire week, but she wasn't granted that luxury. It seemed that things with Regina would still remain arduous.

A scent seeped through underneath the door from downstairs. Emma recognized it instantly as pancakes. The smile returned when she realized that maybe, just maybe, the woman had changed a bit. She threw the covers back finding her underwear ruined from her dream. With a sigh, the blonde headed into the bathroom in haste, tumbling down the staircase even quicker fifteen minutes later. Emma entered the kitchen still wrapped in a towel, finding Regina with her back towards her. She smirked, leaving the towel on the floor where she stood.

Regina felt arms encircle her waist and a bare body pressed against her backside, her own frame relaxing into the embrace instantly. Light kisses were peppered along her slender neck causing the brunette to intake a sharp breath before flipping a pancake. "Miss Swan, what do you think you are doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing?" Emma mumbled, words vibrating against her pulse point.

"It looks like you're distracting me from finishing our breakfast. I hope this isn't a habit of yours, dear." Regina pulled the last pancake from the griddle and placed it on the plate closest to them, turning around in Emma's arms to see confusion etched across her features before recognition settled in. A cocky grin replaced her previous countenance. "Usually it's not, but I can't seem to keep my hands off of you." She shrugged, not the least bit sorry for her actions.

The mayor rolled her eyes but a smile tugged at her lips. "There's such a thing as self-control. Learn to use it darling."

Emma smirked; their bickering was one thing that wasn't going to change – except it was more playful. She released the brunette only to be pulled back into the embrace and greeted with a gentle kiss. "Is this because I came down here naked?" She quirked an eyebrow earning a light smack on her arm. "Ow!" Emma pouted.

The mayor ignored the identical pout Henry gave her when he was younger. "As much as I favor your choice of attire or lack thereof, that is not the reason for the kiss. It is merely a thank you for last night." Regina explained, mimicking the shrug Emma gave only a couple of minutes ago. She saw the sheriff's happiness falter as she processed the words, backtracking to explain what exactly she was thanking the woman for. "Thank you for letting me talk about…the only ones I did love, for not judging me based on mistakes I've made in the past. And above everything, thank you for not running away from this."

Emma stared into bright sienna eyes as for a moment, a small smile hinting at her mouth. "You know, not once did I consider running from you, from this. We have taken so many steps forward that I don't think we can ever revert back to where we used to be. Hell, if anything I should be the one thanking you for not rejecting me and my many flirtatious methods over the past couple of months." She was given another kiss, this one quicker before being invited to follow the brunette into the dining room.


	5. What Do I Do?

Regina placed their plates next to a glass of orange juice and cup of coffee on the table in the same places they had dinner the previous night then turned around, stopping the blonde from running into her. “Where do you think you’re going, Miss Swan?”

Emma’s forehead crinkled in confusion. “To sit down and eat my breakfast.” She replied in a duh tone, pulling out the chair in front of her.

A tanned hand stopped her motion. “I think we should find you something to wear first dear.” The mayor intertwined their fingers and led the way upstairs into her room. She sat the blonde down on her bed then went over to her dresser to a drawer where she had jeans she didn’t wear anymore. Regina pulled out her favorite pair, worn dark wash bootcut, and then went to the drawer next to it, pulling out a white T-shirt. She walked over and handed them to Emma. “I trust these are of your taste.”

The blonde stood and held up the outfit to inspect them, nodding in approval. “I didn’t think you owned clothes like this. Why don’t you wear them anymore?” Green eyes flickered to brown briefly as she passed the woman to go into the bathroom and retrieved her underwear from where they hung over the shower.

Regina shrugged, never really remembering when she traded in her jeans and T-shirts for dresses, skirts, and business suits. “I suppose after Henry started going to school and I went back to my normal working schedule, there wasn’t any need to wear them anymore. As mayor, I have a certain image to uphold.”

Emma pulled on the jeans and shirt, surprised when both were a perfect fit. The jeans were well worn, that she could tell. Everything about them was more comfortable than all of her pairs combined. She reentered the room, nodding as she processed the brunette’s reasoning to not wearing more comfortable clothes. “Makes sense. I think these are my new favorite pair of jeans.”

A light chuckle and shake of the brunette’s head in response to the statement was all she got. “You can’t have them. They’re my favorite also. Come, our breakfast is getting cold.” High heeled shoes turned and exited the bedroom, brown-toned boots following down the stairs into the dining room. Emma sat down, fully dressed, and dug into the pancakes. It took everything in her not to moan at how delectable they tasted. “Oh my fucking God, these taste a hell of a lot better than Granny’s. Is there anything you _can’t_ cook that will give me a mouth orgasm?”

Brunette eyebrows shot up as brown eyes directed their vision to green. “A mouth – never mind,” she shook her head and raised her hands as if giving up. “I’m not even going to ask.  I’ve had twenty-eight years to perfect any dish I’ve wanted to dear, so the answer to your question would be no.” Regina resumed eating her breakfast, allowing silence to succumb them besides the constant moans of how amazing everything was from Emma.

* * *

 

She paced the hallway, clenching and unclenching her fists at her sides, indicating her uneasiness. Going for professional help was something the woman _never_ did. But then again, she’d never had something, someone, get to her so much. After being alone for so long, allowing anybody into her life on a personal level, besides Henry, was something she didn’t trust enough to do. The only reason she was there at that moment was because she had no body to talk to. _This is a mistake._ She shook her head and turned to leave, the door she was pacing in front of opening up suddenly revealing the cricket curse-turned shrink behind circular framed glasses. “Sheriff Swan,” He cleared his throat, taking in the distressed look her entire body emitted as he moved aside. “Please, come in. What can I do for you?” Archie asked the sheriff.

Emma hadn’t said a word to him yet, but no words were needed to know that something was troubling her. Maybe even someone. He closed the door behind him and sat down in his usual chair.

The blonde flopped down with a heavy sigh, her legs spreading out, definitely not lady like, a pale hand running through thick waves. Green orbs remained fixated on the floor at something interesting.

Archie crossed one leg over the other and waited patiently, letting her speak when she was ready to.

“I’ve been having this… dream almost every night for the past four months. It always stops at the same place though. Almost like it’s on pause.” Emma finally said, looking up to the middle-aged man, confusion clouding her eyes. “Like I’m holding it back when all I want to do is press play and see what happens next with us.”

The doctor scribbled some notes down on his legal pad, pushing up his glasses as he glanced up again. “Us? Who else is in the dream?” He inquired.

The sheriff shifted in her seat, looking down again as she said quietly, “The mayor and I. In it we’re together and I’m living in her palace. I guess she’s also a part of why I’m here.”

“Oh?”

The blonde nodded, realizing she didn’t know the exact reason she was indeed there. Emma knew it had something to do with Regina, if not completely, but beyond that, she was stumped. Maybe that’s why her mind and body took her to the shrink. “I don’t know why I’m here actually. I should go. Sorry to waste your time.” She stood with a small shrug, glancing down at the shoulder Archie rested his hand on.

“Emma,” he sighed. “Whatever it is bothering you, it brought you to this office, to me, whether you meant to or not. We’ll figure it out together. Right now we can start anywhere you’re comfortable with. We’ll cross your purpose for being here when we get there.”

Emma bit her bottom lip nervously. “And everything that I tell you is confidential?”

He nodded. “Every last word.” The psychologist promised.

Green eyes searched through glass-covered ones for a minute before nodding and returning to her posture on the couch she’d seen Henry on so many times. “When I was seventeen, there was a guy…Henry’s father… We were just two kids living on the street, always skipping town after we stole our way through another city. No permanent home was needed when home was in each other’s arms.” Emma glanced down at her necklaces, fidgeting with them between her fingers. “One day, he told me to close my eyes and pick a place, any place on the map and that’s where we’d settle down,” the blonde laughed at how naïve she was back then. “I ended up choosing Tallahassee, but we never made it down there. Instead, I got eleven months in prison for helping him get his stolen watches from the train station and he got away to Canada scot free. It wasn’t until later that I discovered I was pregnant with Henry.” Emma shook her head, letting the necklace fall from her fingers. “As if growing up in the foster system wasn’t shitty enough, he made it worse. For me, there were no fairy tale books as an escape, any black or white, just lots of gray and people who took advantage of you. And the sad part is I really did love him.”

Archie only sat and listened, only taking some time to write a little bit of notes while she told her story about Henry’s birth father. “Do you think that that experience is what’s holding you back in your dream?”

“I don’t know,” Emma shrugged. “Maybe it is, but I think both have something to do with me and Regina.”

At that, the man couldn’t hide his personal interest in the woman’s association with the queen. “Why is that?”

_I thought he said we’d work our way up to what led me here, not we’d basically start off at it!_ Emma shook her head. “Because I like her. Like, _like_ her. Even in my dream, I said ‘I love you’ to her. And I hated her for so long! But now…now I just feel like I’m going crazy trying to figure these feelings out.”

“Oh…  _ooh_ …” With the confession, Archie was completely at a loss for words.

Emma shifted slightly. “Last night we talked after dinner, realized that the feeling was mutual, but I can’t help but be skeptical about it. I’ve never felt so strongly for someone since him. To have someone break through almost all of my walls after carefully building them up since I was a kid is something I’m not used to.” Emma sighed, her countenance altering to one of defeat.

“You’re afraid that you’ll fall in love with her and she’ll do the same thing he did?”  The shrink drew a conclusion from her words and demeanor.

“Well…Yeah.”A nod sealed the statement. “Not to mention my parents are going to be against this.”

 Archie smiled, placing the legal pad on the table between them, clasping his hands together as he scooted forward. “I think that you need to tell Regina this. She is the only person who can reassure you that she won’t break your heart like he did, that she will love you. I believe that she will understand what you’re going through more than anyone else in this town. Even though Snow and Charming might not agree with who you like, they can’t control you or your feelings.”

Wide eyes looked over to the doctor. “I can’t do that…tell her…” Her voice shook with fear. “I mean… what if she doesn’t reassure me? What if she will never love me?” Emma shook her head. “I’d rather not know. I’d rather-”

“Run.” Archie cut her off. “You would rather run away from something that you want so bad because you’re too afraid of the outcome. I may not know you personally sheriff, but the woman that I’ve seen since arriving in this town is one who doesn’t run away from what scares her. She stays and fights. You could have easily taken the easier route, leave Henry with the mayor and go back to Boston, but you didn’t. Countless times you’ve taken the hard road and came out with results and a better person because of it. Countless times you’ve come face to face with the mayor and didn’t back down from any challenge she threw your way. If it helps, think of this as another challenge she’s giving you. Don’t back down, Emma. Push back.”

After the monologue, the pair remained silent for a moment as Emma brooded over what the man told her. Everything he said was right. For a man who didn’t know her from Adam, he had really good insight on the type of person she was. Maybe it was because he was a conscious. Regina deserved to know how she was feeling. She wanted to be honest to the brunette if they were ever going to have any shot at being together. But her dream… that was going to have to wait until she could make sense of it herself.

She rose from her seat, giving the man a small smile as she opened the door. “Thank you, Dr. Hopper… You really are Jiminy Cricket.” The woman left his office feeling as if a weight had been lifted off of her shoulders. She knew what she needed to do now.

* * *

 

Olive-skinned fists clenched and unclenched at her sides, her right hand rising to open the door to the office building, but falling back to her side like it did many times before. She was the mayor, the queen, a woman who _never_ had a need to go to the cricket. But what Emma was making her feel all over again was too much for the woman to handle alone. She meant what she said the night before about trying, but she feared letting the blonde in more than she had already would backfire like it did once before with Daniel.

As if on cue, a whirlwind of blonde tresses blew out from the door she was pacing in front of, knocking the unaware brunette to the ground below her. “Ow! Miss Swan, get off of me this instant!” Regina yelled, attempting to push the blonde off of her to no avail.

It took Emma less than a second to realize who the voice belonged to. She stood quickly, holding her hand out for the mayor to take. “I’m sorry Regina, I didn’t see you.” The sheriff looked the shorter woman for any cuts or bruises as she took the offered hand and rose, letting out a sigh of relief when she didn’t see any. “Are you hurt?” She still asked to be on the safe side.

Regina shook her head in annoyance as she dusted off her black trench coat, an eyebrow rising when she realized where she came from. “I’m fine. What were you doing in Dr. Hopper’s office?”

“I, uh, why were you standing out here? Keeping tabs on me again?” Emma countered.

The mayor’s eyes narrowed, her cheeks burning bright red at the accusation. “No, I didn’t realize that walking past a building, one that I had no clue you were in mind you, counted as such a thing. Now, are you going to tell me why you came here or am I going to have to go upstairs and ask him myself?”

“You can’t do that!”

“I’m the mayor, dear. I have my ways of obtaining information.”

Emma huffed, green orbs glancing down to the space between them. “Okay, okay. I went to Dr. Hopper to talk about you…” She confessed loud enough for only the woman to hear.

Regina’s eyebrows shot up. “ _Me?_ Why on earth would you talk to _him_ about me?!”

The blonde looked around them before looking up at the mayor, knowing she wasn’t going to get out of the woman’s hindsight by deflecting the question. _Shit._ _I’m in too deep now._   “Look, I’ll tell you everything just…can we go back to your place or something and talk about it?”

“Very well then.” Regina flicked her hair back irritatingly before walking around to the driver’s side of her car. “Get in.”


	6. Once Upon a Time... There Was a Girl Named Emma Swan

The car ride to the mayor’s mansion was silent. The only thing that could be heard was their breathing, both nervous about the conversation that awaited them. As if the previous night wasn’t hard enough already, here Emma was looking like whatever she saw Dr. Hopper about was a life or death situation.

“Are you sure you don’t want to tell me what it is that’s bothering you now?” Regina asked for the umpteenth time, only getting another head shake in response. The brunette sighed, silently thankful when she saw her home in sight. She pulled up in the driveway and cut the engine, Emma already out of the car and up the pathway waiting for her at the door.

Emma entered the house first once the door was open, heading right for the study that seemed to hold over half of their meetings within the past few months. She went straight for the whiskey Emma knew Regina had in her mini-bar just for her, taking a swig of it as the door closed behind Regina before pouring more into an empty tumbler. “Go ahead and make yourself right at home Miss Swan…” The mayor settled into the couch, eyeing the blonde carefully. “Should I be worried that you’re already in need of a drink at ten in the morning?”

With that, Emma finally chuckled, putting down the bottle next to the unused tumblers as she made her way near Regina, sitting on the opposite side of the couch. “No, I’m only drinking because it is _I_ who should be worried about you.”

A brow rose, the curiosity of the brunette piquing. “Oh?”

“Yes. As I said last night, I’m not good at all this ‘expressing yourself’ type of thing…but I want to be honest with you if we have any shot at this. Even if it means I risk losing you before fully getting you. I want to tell you a story.”

Regina pursed her lips and nodded quietly, motioning for her to continue.

“Once upon a time, there was a little baby found on the side of a highway in Maine near a 24-hour diner. She was placed into foster care, placed with a family until the age of three. They sent her back because they were having a child of their own and had no need for her any longer. From then on she was in and out of foster homes, mentally, physically, and sexually abused by one of her foster fathers who used to come home late at night drunk, always told that she would never be good enough to become someone’s real daughter. That her parents left her because they didn’t love her. She was always alone, never making friends in school because she knew that each place was only temporary.

Then one day, she grew tired of the same routine of going to a new home every couple of months and ran away from her last foster home. She was on the streets for a couple of months when she met a guy while in the middle of driving a stolen car. For two years they went all over the place stealing things, conning people, doing what they had to get by. Eventually, the girl fell in love with the guy. She even thought that he would be the one she’d marry one day. They agreed to give up the life of staying out of the cops’ way, to go to Tallahassee and settle down.  The only thing that stood in the way was a bag of stolen watches from a high-end jewelry shop in Arizona that he stole a couple of years before meeting her. There was a warrant out for his arrest so she offered to get the watches from the train locker they were in so he could sell them and start over. She got the watches with no problem. They had planned to meet up after he sold them, even gave her a watch to hold on to. But he never showed. Instead, a cop greeted her with handcuffs from a ‘tip’ they’d received from an anonymous caller. She got eleven months in prison, a car, and a baby because of him.”

“Emma, I-”

“It’s rude to interrupt people when they’re telling a story Madame Mayor.” Emma interrupted, looking the brunette straight in the eyes.

Regina swallowed, wishing she’d poured herself a drink earlier. “My apologies, Miss Swan. Please continue.”

The blonde nodded, green eyes trailing down to the glass of half-empty whiskey still in her hands. “Once she got out, she tried to live her life the honest way. There wasn’t a day that went by that she didn’t wonder about her son. Whether his new family loved him the way she never was, if he actually got a mother instead of the poor excuses she had, if he had friends, the life she couldn’t give him. The only time she went out on dates was if her job as a bail bondsman – woman – required her to. She had put up walls, thick walls that no one could get around even with a sledge hammer. The only thing she’d reveal to people was her name and if they were lucky, her age. Love was something the young woman was incapable of feeling anymore. All that replaced it was emptiness and loneliness.

Until her son found her. Suddenly that hole in her heart was starting to become lighter; a sense of hope came into her mind. Maybe, just maybe things were going to start getting better for her. As if that weren’t enough, she then met his mother. She could see the relief in her eyes when her son was home, the love she had for him; the love she had longed for for so long. And there was another thing, something she didn’t expect. The woman was stunning. Probably the most beautiful being she’d ever seen in her life. Her kid wasn’t the only reason she wanted to stay in their small quaint town any longer. That one week stay turned into months then before she knew it an entire year. She had finally found her long lost parents, had her son, and most of all, a place to call home. It was a lot to get used to, but nevertheless, that is what the small town became to her. But that entire list of things still didn’t make her feel complete. Every time she was around the mayor, the blonde felt like she was whole. That she could love the so-called evil queen eventually. Her hatred for the woman slowly grew into a like, maybe even something stronger.

Her new feelings made her afraid. Afraid that she would be rejected, heartbroken yet again like when she was seventeen. It was why she avoided the mayor so many times before. She thought that if she didn’t have to see her then she would be alright. But not seeing her was just as painful as seeing her and not be able to tell her the truth. After her talk with the therapist, she vowed that the next time she saw her she wouldn’t lie; that she would tell her the truth no matter how scared she was.” Emma finished, avoiding eye contact with Regina as silence filled the room yet again.

If there was one thing Regina wasn’t expecting it was for the blonde to tell her life story. Especially the ending. She knew that she had to say something, but nothing was coming to mind. It was a lot for one to process after all. Emma was viewed in a new light, her hate for the woman dissipating fully. Regina could feel tears stinging her eyes as she scooted over to sit directly beside the blonde, prying the glass out of her hands and sitting it on the table before replacing it with her own hands. “Emma, look at me.” She said softly, waiting until the woman did as she was told.

“I don’t know what all Henry’s father did to you, but I promise I will never, _ever_ break your heart like he did or hurt you in any way. I had no idea that you felt that way…about me for so long. If I had known…”

She shook her head. “I’m sorry for being so hateful to you for so long. When you came, I felt my son, _our_ son, slipping away from me almost completely. He didn’t see me as his mother anymore. He only saw me as the evil queen. And that…that hurt me so much. I thought you’d take him away from me. Go back to Boston and never let him see me again. Hate was easier to feel and project more than hurt. I hated you for being the one Henry saw as good, as his _only_ mother, the one who was going to break my curse and confirm that I am indeed the evil queen. I guess… it was why it was so hard to believe after everything I’d put you through that you still cared about me. You even fell into the hat with the wraith because of me. To be honest, that time without you was hell. I missed your sarcastic remarks, the way you never backed down from an argument, your horrible manners, even your excuse of a car and those stupid leather jackets. I missed everything that was you.”

It wasn’t until she felt a thumb wipe away a tear on her cheek that she realized she’d been crying. Emerald eyes looked into glistening sienna, finding a gleam in them that had never been there before. She smiled, pushing some brunette strands of hair behind Regina’s ear before leaning in for a kiss.

This kiss wasn’t like their others. Something else had enveloped in them both. Something stronger. Emma didn’t want to be wrong about what it was, but its force was unmistakable. It was one she felt with Henry’s father and after Henry was born. Emma opened her eyes when she felt lips leave hers, brown eyes staring back.

“I love you, Emma Swan.” The words were so soft the blonde didn’t think she heard right. “What?”

Regina smiled, and cupped Emma’s face in her hands, pressing their foreheads together. “I _said_ that I love you, Emma Swan.”

The brightest grin had spread across Emma’s lips. “I love you too.” She kissed the mayor so full of love that she could’ve sworn something passed through them. Something that not only she felt.

Plump lips broke away yet again. “What was that?” The confusion was evident in her voice and countenance.

Emma shrugged. “I don’t know. Whatever it was it didn’t do affect us. How much time do we have before Henry comes home?” A mischievous smile was all the mayor needed to know as to why the question was asked.

“About three hours.”

“Plenty of time to make love to my girlfriend then.” The sheriff pushed Regina back onto the couch with a chuckle at the surprise that came from the woman.


	7. What Dreams May Come

_The table was silent. Only the clinking of silverware against China filled the room. Emma and Regina were seated next to each other on the left side, Snow and Charming sitting opposite of them; the head and end of the table vacant. Regina hadn't taken her skeptical glare off of the princess's parents since they'd arrived there. Every time they visited, they never failed to somehow throw in that their daughter should return home with them where "she is loved." The queen rolled her eyes at the thought. How dare they think she didn't love Emma? Just because she was 'evil' didn't mean she had a pure black heart - at least not anymore. Not since she met Emma that night._

_Regina grabbed Emma's hand under the table, squeezing it tightly as the flashbacks hit her hard. Emma's head snapped up from her plate, green eyes studying her companion carefully before she realized what was happening. She leaned in close to her ear, lowering her voice so her parents couldn’t hear. "It's okay Gina. Thanks to you I'm fine now. Everything's fine. Let's just get through this lunch, okay?" Regina nodded, not trusting her voice to respond._

_Emma smiled and turned back to her parents who, to no surprise, was watching their interaction. Instead of rolling her eyes, the princess decided to break the silence. "So," she took in their outfits for the first time, noting it was their traveling attire."Where are you headed?"_

_"How did you-"_

_"Your attire, mother." Her head inclined towards the riding outfit her mother wore and a similar, masculine one worn by her father._

_"We're heading to our winter palace. It's going to be getting cold soon so we figure why not get a head start this year?" Snow shrugged added after a second hesitation, "And... You are welcome to come with us, Emma. We'd love to have our daughter back."_

_The princess could feel the anger rolling off of the queen at the offer; one that made her all the more upset. After that winter, Emma didn’t love their winter palace the same. It always brought back her nightmares. "I don't... I don't think that would be a good idea. I can't leave Regina. I wouldn't do that to her. To us."_

_"What spell did you put on her?" Snow's eyes narrowed towards Regina._

_"For the last time, she didn't do anything to me!_ I _am the one who chose to stay here._ I _am the one who chose to be with her._ I _am the one who chose to_ love _Regina. And_ I _am the one who chose to marry her."_

_"Love!” Snow exclaimed. “Are you listening to yourself?! You cannot marry her! The Evil Queen cannot love or be loved. It is a foolish thought, Emma. You are just getting your love mixed up with gratefulness. Do not repay her by giving up your life to be forever enslaved by this woman."_

_Emma snorted. "Gratefulness? She saved my life! I'm not a helpless child any longer mother; I know the difference between love and gratefulness. You two of all people should know what it's like for someone to keep you separated from your true love. You’ve done it when I was younger, why do the same to me yet again? She is_ not _the one who is enslaving me. It is you."_

_Snow scoffed, opening her mouth to respond, but silenced by Charming. "Snow, she's right. You know as well as I do that if what they have isn't true love Emma would have been home with us again. Who are we to deny her happiness when that is all we've ever wanted for our child no matter who it’s with? Let them wed. Let them be happy."_

_The fair queen opened and closed her mouth a few times before nodding in defeat. Her husband was right. Time and time again she had asked Emma to come back home with them. Each time she was declined. Regina and George tried to keep her and her true love away for months, she’d be no better than either if she tried to do the same now that Emma was old enough to make her own decisions.  "Very well. But if you hurt her in any way Regina, I will not hesitate to have you executed. We must be on our way while the sun is still in the sky." Snow wiped her mouth with her napkin before rising out of her chair first._

_Regina and Emma rose simultaneously, hand-in-hand as they neared the princess's parents."Such a threat is unnecessary my dear Snow. No harm will come to your daughter from me or anybody else. To hurt Emma would be to hurt me. And we both know I won't stop at_ anything _to get my revenge." The queen gave her a regal smirk._

_Emma let go of her girlfriend's hand to hug her father and mother, whispering a "thank you" into each of their ears. With a curt nod of farewell from Regina, the king and queen were on their way out of the palace._

_After they heard the palace doors shut, the blonde turned to face the brunette, arms encircling her waist. "Thank you for not letting your temper speak for you. And for protecting me."_

_Slim arms wrapped around the taller woman's neck. "I protect the ones I love. Which at this moment are only you and my father. Besides, if the White Knight is always protecting me it's only logical that I do the same for her." Regina shrugged with a smile. She pulled out of the embrace and brought one of her hands to entangle with pale ones. "Come, we must do some packing of our own."_

_Emma's eyebrows raised in shock. "Where are we going?"_

_Regina grinned as they started up the stairs. "It's a surprise."_

 

* * *

 

 

Olive-skinned hands ventured down her body, green eyes shooting open when two fingers thrust into her already wet hole without warning. The shock was soon replaced by a deep moan, a noise Emma didn't know she could make. Her eyes were locked on brown as soon as they opened. Emma didn't know what had gotten to Regina since they’d fallen asleep, but the determined, predator, lust stricken look had all of her questions taking a hike.

"Re... gina..." Emma hissed, hips bucked forward at the breast-to-breast contact, hard nipples rubbing against her own, pushing the fingers deeper inside of her as arms encircled the woman like she was holding on for dear life.

"Hello dear. I thought we'd squeeze another one in before we go get Henry."

The gravelly whisper caused the body beneath her to shudder. Regina smirked, as she had in Emma's dream, and drew back just slightly in their flushed embrace to regard the woman. "Tell me, Miss Swan, do you think that five minutes is enough time for us?" An eyebrow lifted gingerly as she quickened her pace, her thumb rubbing her clit at the same speed.

 

The blonde's breathing began to palpitate, her body eradicating involuntarily as her walls started closing in around skilled fingers. Her own fingers dragged down the brunette's back roughly, earning a low growl from the woman. She couldn't speak between any of the odd noises that escaped her slightly parted lips, but she knew Regina was waiting for some kind of response. "If you... _ah_...keep going like this, I think...think five minutes is plenty of...  _fuck_... time."

A gasp came from the sheriff as a third finger was entered knuckle deep into her. Her eyes clamped shut as the wave of pleasures left her unraveling at the seams.

Less than a minute later the blonde's thighs tightened as her walls let her arousal spill over the edge. Regina slowed her pace to make sure the woman rode out her orgasm. Brown eyes watched the pale face intently taking in the pure look of pleasure, satisfaction, and love that glowed. Emerald eyes met her own, the same emotion from her face residing in them.

Regina slid her fingers out of Emma, bringing her coated hand up to her mouth. She licked off her girlfriend’s arousal increasingly slow to tease the blonde. Emma licked her lips hungrily, her own mouth covering the ring finger that was offered to her, sucking off her own liquid carefully. She started to pout when the finger was removed, grinning after a second when it was replaced with soft lips laced with her juices.

Her hand slipped down to Regina's sex, raking a nail over the aroused mound gently. She was swatted away as plump lips left hers. "Later." Regina winked at Emma before rolling off of her and sitting up on the edge of the couch.

Emma groaned as she watched Regina putting on her clothes, enjoying her view. “You are such a tease Madame Mayor.”

“Mm,” Regina nodded, turning to face the blonde with a smile. “But you love it.”

The sheriff rolled her eyes and sat up, grabbing her own clothes off of the floor. “Maybe, but it doesn’t change the fact that all I will be thinking about while we’re with Henry is how many times I can get you to orgasm tonight.”

 

* * *

 

 

"So... are you going to tell me what that was all about?"

"What was what all about, dear?" Regina asked innocently, keeping her eyes trained on the road.

"Waking me up in the form of sex. I mean, I loved it, don't get me wrong, but what brought it on?" Emma asked, glancing over to the brunette.

Silence was the only response she got. Regina didn't know how to really explain her actions. One moment she was asleep on top of the woman and the next her only thought was of fucking her.

"Oh fuck, did you have a sex dream?"

Regina snorted but still didn't answer. She thought back to what she had dreamt for a second before crinkling her forehead. "Part of it was... Now that I think about it, the dream was a bit odd."

Emma bit her bottom lip, her eyes directing themselves straight ahead. "What was it about?" She asked hesitantly.

The mayor instantly picked up on the weary mood that came from the sheriff but decided not to comment on it. "It was about us. We were home, in the Enchanted Forest. I was queen and you were a princess. We had been playing some sort of cat and mouse type of game in the forest and it ended in us making love in the leaves. After that, we had an… interesting… lunch with Snow and Charming then I was leading you upstairs for a surprise getaway."

Brown eyes looked over to the blonde when she heard a sharp intake of breath. "What's wrong Emma?"

"I... You... We..." She sighed, pausing a second to get her thoughts together. "How long have you been having that dream?"

Regina frowned, keeping an eye on Emma out of her peripheral. "I’m not sure… Off and on after the curse broke I suppose. But the lunch part wasn’t until today. Why?"

"Because... I've been having the same dream almost every night. Until today."

"Today?"

Emma nodded. "Before, the dream would always end with us leaving for lunch... But during our nap, it finally moved to our lunch with Mar-my parents. I told Archie that it felt like a memory on pause waiting for me to hit play... And that it had something to do with our relationship. That was my first reason for going to him this morning. I thought it might help push the dream forward. Now I think that you may have been the trigger for pressing play."

Regina's eyebrows raised in surprise. " _Me?_ How could I be the trigger when I didn't even know you were having the same dream?"

With that, Emma gave her infamous cocky grin as they made eye contact. "By telling me you love me. It makes sense though! The dream stopped with us heading to lunch for months but as soon as we told each other ‘I love you’ it picked up right where it left off!"

The mayor pulled into the parking spot she’d always parked in at Henry’s school, cutting the engine before turning to face the excited Emma. She couldn’t help but chuckle at the same twinkle she saw in both her son and lover’s eyes whenever they got excited about something. “Given that you are right, it still doesn’t answer one key question: _why_ are we having the same dream? We both know that you were sent here when my curse was enacted and I’m quite positive that I remember my life in the Enchanted Forest from the time I was a little girl.”

Emma brooded over the question. Given their pasts, it didn’t make one lick of sense as to how the dream _could_ be a memory. _Unless…_

“What if it was a part of the curse? Gold was the one to create it after all. For all we know, the dream _is_ our memory of what happened before the curse. You know as well as I do that one can believe their cursed counterpart over their real identity. So who’s to say that I’m not under the curse still?”

Regina shook her head. “But it would have broken when the actual curse broke if they were related in some way Emma. You broke it with True Love’s kiss. It’s the most powerful magic of all.”

The blonde huffed, her theory being defeated. They sat in silence for a couple of minutes before a pale hand smacked the dashboard. Regina snapped her head to where the noise derived from then to the culprit, narrowing her eyes. “I would appreciate it if you didn’t abuse my car, Miss Swan.”

“Sorry…” Emma looked down coyly before looking back up, the excitement back in her eyes. “But I think I know why it didn’t break.”

“I see where Henry gets his persistence from. Why didn’t it break?” Brown eyes eyed the woman cautiously.

“True Love’s kiss. The bond between a mother and son is different than a lover. Aside from that, it wouldn’t work until I believed that the curse was real; that you were the evil queen. We’re only just starting out in this relationship, but we’d be lying to ourselves and each other if we said that what we have isn’t true love. All we need to do is believe in it, Gina.” Emma leaned forward towards her contemplating companion, grinning from ear to ear at her theory. Her grin grew wider when she got a nod in agreement.

It took everything in the mayor not to fully indulge into the sheriff’s theory. She had wanted to so badly, but she didn’t think she could bear Emma’s slither of hope about their dream being true fading into disappointment. But still… they were so similar to how they were in the dream. In love, protective of each other, and Emma _was_ her White Knight. If it were true though, what _really_ happened in the Enchanted Forest before the curse?


	8. Approval

 

“So, are you going to tell me why you two picked me up from school today and are sitting side-by-side without killing each other?” Henry asked his mothers once they settle down into his and Emma’s favorite booth, ordered their food, and began eating.

The two women looked at each other with similar confused expressions, realizing that that must have been the reason why everybody in the diner kept eying them suspiciously. To them, it was just a normal family outing after school. Regina glanced down at her salad, unable to think of any excuse as to why the women weren’t chopping each other’s head off.

“Should we just tell him?” Emma whispered into her ear, her head snapping up at the question. She took a second to think about it then nodded with a sigh. “I suppose so. The entire town will know by tonight anyway.” Her head tilted towards the eyes all around them, waiting for the next move to come. “Henry,” She leaned forward, olive toned hand reaching out to grab his.

The blonde mimicked the older woman’s action with his other hand, picking up where Regina left off. “Your mom and I…”

“We are…” Regina glanced over to Emma with a smile that was reflected instantaneously, grabbing her hand and squeezing it for reassurance.

“Dating.” They said simultaneously, both of their smiles bright but hesitating.

They sat in silence for a moment. It was as if the entire diner froze after they let out their big news. Nerves ran up both of their spines, both minds worried that Henry wouldn’t approve.

Henry looked back and forth between his adoptive and biological mother, noticing their free hands were joined together. He then looked around the diner at everyone who seemed to be waiting for a response from him. Henry eyed Emma. “She’s the _Evil Queen_.” He said, not harshly, but wearily.

“Evil Queen or not, I still love her. To me, she isn’t evil. Never has been, never will be.” Emma shrugged.

“But she’s _killed_ people! She even killed her own _father_! And what about the constant times she tried to get you out of Storybrooke? Have you forgotten about the poisoned apple turnover?” He protested.

Both women winced at the memory of how badly the apple turnover incident turned out. It was Emma who seemed to have grown tired of their son’s trip down bad memory lane first.

“Henry, enough!” Her tone mirrored Regina’s so well when she was once the Evil Queen, everyone jumped, a bit scared of their Savior.

“I’m tired of hearing this. Regina is your mother. She raised you since you were three weeks old, was there for you every step of the way and never, _ever_ stopped loving you even when you became fixated on that book. She may have done some fucked up things in her past, but who hasn’t? I may be the Savior but I’m not perfect either – no one is in this world or the next kid. She’s human, _we’re_ human. We all make mistakes. So who are we to judge one person on theirs? You and this entire town,” Green eyes scanned the inaudible room. “Should give Regina a second chance. If not for her, then for me.” Her eyes locked back on to her son. “And I think _you_ should start by apologizing to her.”

Henry stared at his mother for a long time, anger residing in his eyes until a mixture of shame and guilt crossed them when he knew that she was right. He hung his head down, looking up behind brunette lashes at his other mother. “Sorry, mom…” He muttered before regarding Regina with a blend of caution and curiosity. “Do you really love her?”

Regina was still stunned by Emma’s sudden reaction to their son’s list of things she did wrong in the past. His reaction to their relationship was something to be expected, but Emma…she shuddered at the woman’s tone echoing in her mind. She didn’t know that she could sound so mean, sound so…  _evil_. Her wide eyes studied Henry’s for a minute after he apologized to her, wondering if the answer to his question would be the potential straw that broke the camel’s back. She nodded after another minute, her smile finding its way back on to her lips when she chanced a glance to her left at a now calm Emma. “I do. I love her more than my own life.” Brown eyes looked from green back into hazel.

“Okay.” Henry’s expression softened as he looked at his mothers. “If you two are in love and make each other happy then I’m happy.” He shrugged, squeezing both of their hands with a smile. Once he gave the approval, the entire diner moved about in its normal pace again.

* * *

 

The family of three pulled up in front of the apartment building the Charming family lived in. They all knew that Mary Margaret and David probably already knew of the relationship between the two women, but it was something they still had to address. Emma took a hold of Regina’s hand once they were out of the Mercedes. Henry had bolted up the stairs as always, letting himself in with his key once he got to the familiar door, neither woman making an effort to tell him to slow down.

Emma could feel the nervousness rolling on to her left from Regina. She brought their intertwined hands up to her lips and kissed each of Regina’s knuckles before leaning in and capturing her lips, reassuring her silently.

Regina pulled back with a smile. “I know.” She nodded at the unspoken words. “Better get this over with.” Her back straightened, head lifted, and eyes straight forward, her entire demeanor emitting one of pure power and control. She started to walk forward but stopped when she didn’t feel Emma move with her. The mayor turned around, concern etched across her features. “What’s the matter, Emma?”

“Aren’t they… going to be expecting Henry and me to be moving out or something? I mean, it’ll be kind of awkward to still live with them after we tell them…” Emma avoided Regina’s stare, her cheeks flushing as she shook her head. “Never mind. Let’s just go get this over with.” Now it was Emma’s turn to start walking and turn back around when Regina didn’t move. “What?”

Sienna met emerald. “Move in with me. I know we’re moving pretty fast with this relationship, but after what happened at the diner, doing so feels as natural as the rest of it.”

Pink lips opened and closed, her mind allowing the words to sink in. “I…are you serious?” She asked after a second.

“I don’t joke on matters like this, dear.”

“I know…I just didn’t think you’d be ready to… you know…” Emma looked down at her feet.

“What, ready to live as a family?” An eyebrow arched.

The blonde shrugged, her face growing hot with embarrassment. “Well, yeah. I’m not the cleanest person to live with…” She looked up when she heard laughing, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion as a frown settled upon the corners of her lips. “What’s so funny?” She asked a bit harshly.

Regina only smiled at Emma. “I’ve had to deal with our son’s messiness for over ten years; I think yours wouldn’t be a problem. Besides, to live as a family is all I ever really wanted in life. And that is exactly what you have given me.”

Pink lips found plump ones, capturing them for a sweet kiss before pulling away with a grin. “Okay.”

Brunette eyebrows shot up. “Really?”

Emma nodded. “Really. Why not? I’m sure Henry wouldn’t mind anyway.” The blonde shrugged, chuckling when Regina crushed their lips together once more. She pulled away with a cheeky grin. “Come on. I’m sure the kid is wondering what’s taking us so long.”

They walked into the building hand-in-hand with matching grins. As soon as they entered the loft, they spotted Mary Margaret and David in the living room, not bothering to turn their heads to see who came through the still partly open door. Emma cleared her throat loudly, their heads snapping towards the sound instantly. They popped up when they saw who was with their daughter. Mary Margaret’s eyes narrowed. “What is _she_ doing here?”

“I brought her. I’m sure you’ve already heard the news from Ruby anyway.” Their daughter said coolly despite her hand clutching Regina’s nervously.

Eyebrows crinkled as she shook her head. “No, she didn’t…” Green eyes locked on to the clasped hands as Emma and Regina shared a shocked look between each other. Both women looked to Mary Margaret, eyes following her burning gaze to their hands, neither making an effort to pull away.

“We’re-”

“Together.” Regina cut her girlfriend off, the sharpness in her tone meant for her parents.

“You’re _what?!_ ” David and Mary Margaret asked in sync.

Emma rolled her eyes. “Together, dating, partners, with the mother of my son, the woman I’m moving in with. Any of those ringing a bell yet?”

Mary Margaret shook her head incredulously. “She’s the Evil Queen, Emma! How can you move in with her?!”

“And we know her. She’s incapable of loving you.” David chimed in.

It was Regina’s turn to roll her eyes, her irritancy at the two idiots already climbing the ladder. “ _Incapable of loving her?_ I’ll have you know Prince Charming,” she spat his name. “That I already _love_ her.” She stepped closer to the man with a sneer. “And she loves me.”

The blonde’s parents could only look to Emma, hoping that what Regina said wasn’t true.

“I do love her. And there’s nothing you can do or say to keep me from being with Regina.”

Mary Margaret glowered at her former step-mother. “I knew it was only a matter of time before you cast a spell on her.”

Emma sighed in annoyance at her mother’s comment. “Jeez, what’s with you people?! Regina didn’t cast any spell on me. And before you say it, I’m well aware of her past. It seems like no one around here will let us forget…” A pale hand tugged through tangled locks as she took another sigh.

“Look, I know you two have this hatred thing or whatever going on, but you are going to have to put it behind you now. I’ve spent my entire life looking for my family, longing for that parental love. After I found you, well after Henry found me, and the curse broke, I got what I wished for. But that didn’t feel like enough for me. I love you guys, I really do, but… being with Regina… she completes me. She makes our family – Henry and me – complete. I am madly, completely, insanely, irrevocably in love with Regina Mills.” The blonde shrugged nonchalantly despite her cocky grin and glimmering eyes full of love.

The utter happiness on the woman’s face was one none of the three onlookers had ever seen before. Tears cracked through Regina’s badass façade at her lover’s words. Twice in less than an hour, Emma had stuck up for her. It was the second time the brunette had felt the magic of true love radiating off of both of them. Despite the two silenced parents in their presence, Regina couldn’t help but hug her girlfriend tightly.

“And I am insanely, utterly, eternally in love with you too, Emma Swan.” She muffled into the taller woman’s shoulder.

“I suppose we don’t have a choice.” Mary Margaret sighed. “It is obvious the two of you love each other very much.” The pixie haired brunette sighed softly, crossing her arms over her chest, the hint of a frown tracing her lips when she realized that they had true love.

David rested a hand on her shoulder when he picked up on her mood. “We don’t. Let our daughter be happy with the one she loves.” He looked at the couple before him who now turned to face them. “It is obvious that you will not harm our daughter Regina. So long as you treat her right, we will forgive all of your wrongdoings of the past and start anew in our relationship. Do we have a deal?”

Regina had managed to compose herself quickly, wiping up the last tears as fast as the first ones came gushing out. Once she had turned around to face David her expression was neutral. She only nodded once at his proposal. “We do. I promise to keep her happy if it is the last thing I do.” She agreed shocked at how easy it was to do so.


	9. Settling

 

It didn’t take long for them to pack and move all of Emma and Henry’s boxes from the apartment into the house. It was the one time David and Mary Margaret’s offer to help was actually used.  Emma would never voice it, but it made her happy to see her parents and girlfriend actually get along for more than a second.

That evening was spent putting away her things into the space cleared out for her by Regina while dinner was being made. It didn’t take long for her to finish emptying the handful of boxes sitting at the foot of the bed. Emma sat down on the bed with a sigh. _I finally have a place to call home._ She smiled to herself, taking in the surroundings of Regina’s bedroom. With a sigh, she got up from the bed and left, coming down the stairs quietly.

Her feet instantly took her in the direction of the kitchen where she knew her girlfriend would be. She tip-toed behind her, covered Regina’s eyes and whispered, “Guess who?” into her ear.

Regina grinned, the hairs on her neck rising from the warm breath.  “Hmm, the voice is too feminine for Henry and he isn’t this tall yet…” she pretended to think as she took the spoon out of the pot and put it on the stove. “It must be Miss Swan.”

Emma turned her around, a mock frown displayed on her lips. “Miss Swan? I thought you’d finally gotten that “Miss” isn’t my first name.”

“I know that _Emma_.” The brunette smirked, kissing away the frown. “Old habits die hard.” She murmured against her lips as she wrapped her arms around her neck.

There was no point in arguing with the woman, that Emma knew all too well. The only thing she could do was give in to the kiss. They lingered there for a moment, neither deepening nor pulling away from each other, until the pot behind them started boiling. Emma pulled away with a slight laugh. “I should let you get that. Don’t want you burning dinner.”

Regina laughed at how similar those words were to the first time they had dinner together. She turned around and stirred the pot, tasting it to make sure that the food was done. After a few more minutes of stirring, Regina turned the pot on low and turned back around to find Emma staring at her.

“What?” An eyebrow arched as a smirk pulled at the corner of her lips.

The blonde shook her head with a grin. “Nothing.” She shrugged pulling out the plates and forks from where Regina pulled them from the last time. “You just look…never mind.” Her head shook again.

Her arms folded across her chest, both eyebrows raising this time. “I just look what, Miss Swan?”

Emma sighed. “You just look…I don’t know, at home, when you cook. I’m not saying you look domestic or anything, but I like seeing you so… happy.” A small smile tugged at the right corner of her lips.

To her relief, Regina couldn’t do anything but smile. “I…I suppose I am happy when I cook. It’s one of my favorite things to do.” She shrugged, using the spoon to dip the spaghetti on the plates next to the stove. “Can you go get Henry and make sure he washes up?”

“Of course babe.” The younger woman kissed her cheek and headed out of the kitchen in the direction of the stairs calling out, “Kid go wash up!” from the base of it.

* * *

 

After they had finished their dinner and watch a movie in the family room, Regina and Emma put Henry to bed together then went to their own bedroom. The two women settled down in bed, both facing each other.

Regina took Emma’s hand in hers and smiled. “It feels like I’ve been waiting for this day my entire life.” She admitted.

“Me too.”  Emma smiled, looking down at their hands.

Silence fell between them for a while, only their breathing filling the dark room. “Do you think…” The older woman shook her head. “Never mind.”

Emma sat up, her eyebrows furrowing. “Do I think what?” She asked curiously.

Regina sighed. “Do you think…since we’ve enhanced our present day relationship that our dream one will change in some way?”

“I don’t know Regina,” the blonde shrugged. “But I won’t say it wouldn’t have at least _some_ effect on it.” She shrugged again, snuggling closer into the body heat and closing her eyes. “What I do know is that we should get some rest. We do have to work tomorrow.”

With that, Regina closed her eyes shortly after Emma, drifting off to sleep.

* * *

 

_The ride to their destination took a full two days instead of the normal day and a half due to the weather postponing them a quarter of the way. Emma was growing impatient since the hour they had set forth on their trip. She insisted on Regina telling her where they were going, letting out a huff each time she didn’t get an answer eventually resorting to mumbling to herself._

_Regina, on the other hand, wasn’t as bad as Emma. She had been upset that they were delayed on her surprise, even let her wrath known to her men, but she didn’t let that deter her from keeping the secret from the young princess._

_“Can’t you just poof us there and skip this entire horse pulled carriage thing already?” Emma asked, her tone bored._

_“No, then that would change your reaction.” The queen said nonchalantly with a slight shrug._

_Emma folded her arms and rolled her eyes, not even bothering to let out a sigh. “Not even a hint?” She pushed._

_Regina shook her head again. “Don’t waste your time, dear. I’m not going to tell you anything until we get there.”_

_The princess frowned and looked out of the window, her eyes trained on nothing in particular as they rode. “Fine.”_

_“I promise it’s going to be worth the wait Emma.”_

* * *

 

_Finally, their carriage rolled to a stop at a passageway into the woods. Emma stepped out, her brows furrowed as she looked around. “What the hell is this, Regina?” She turned around a scowl on her face._

_An eyebrow rose. “Didn’t I mention we’ll be walking the rest of the way?”_

_“No.”_

_“Well, we are walking the rest of the way.” The queen walked up to the princess’ side, intertwining their hands as she started leading the way down the long, winding path_

_Emma did think about pulling away from the embrace, but she loved the feeling too much despite her childish anger._

_They walked in a comfortable silence before the snowy path broke through to a gravel pathway with three perfectly manicured circular gardens of black baccara red roses on either side. A castle much larger than one the princess had ever seen in her life rested at the end of the snow laced field. Her eyes widened as she took in the entire scenery. “Regina, this is beautiful…”_

_Regina watched Emma with a smile. “Was it worth the journey, dear?”_

_The blonde nodded quickly, kissing the queen all over. “Very worth it.”_

_“I know how much you used to love the winter castle and how much you miss it. It isn’t the same, but-”_

_Emma cut her off with a kiss. “I don’t care Regina. This castle is perfect for our winter home.”_

* * *

 

Both women woke up simultaneously, sienna meeting emerald.

“Did you…”

“I did.”

“How-”

“I don’t know.” Regina sighed. “We obviously need some answers.”

Emma furrowed her eyebrows, the sleep haze keeping her from thinking straight. “Do you think we should go to Gold?”

The brunette shrugged. “It’s worth a shot. After all, he is the one who gave me the curse. Who knows what else he’s done before then.”


	10. The Truth

“Regina, wait!” Emma called out, running behind the fast walking mayor.

Regina whipped her entire body around to face the blonde, her countenance reflecting a combination of pissed off and determination. _Nothing_ was going to stop her from getting answers. “What is it, Miss Swan? We’re wasting precious time here.” She said in an exasperated tone.

A sigh passed through the blonde’s lips as she ran a hand through her long tresses. “Don’t we need a plan or something to get the truth out of him?”

“We have magic. That’s good enough” Regina replied simply before turning back around and starting towards the imp’s shop. Her eyes burned with a fueling hate that only grew by the second for Gold. She was done listening for an alternative before Emma had even started with her proposal. Quickened footsteps could be heard behind her the faster she walked.

* * *

 

Gold was in the back of his shop preparing a cup of tea when he heard his shop door being ripped open, slamming against the wall as the bell cried out above it. His eyebrows furrowed slightly but his expression remained blank as he rounded his work desk and went into the front room. A slimy smirk graced thin lips when he saw who was awaiting him.

“Ah, Madame Mayor, to what do I owe the pleasure?” A mess of blonde hair caught his eye behind Regina. “I see you’ve brought the sheriff. This _must_ be important.”

Tanned hands slammed on the showcase, rattling the glass that separated her and the imp. “Cut the crap, Gold. We need answers. _Now._ ” She growled through her teeth, the anger rolling off with every word.

He arched a brow, his curiosity peaked. “About what dearie?”

“We’ve been having the same dream about being back in the Enchanted Forest…” Emma started.

“Well that’s very nice, Miss Swan, but I still don’t see what that has to do with me.”

Green orbs rolled at the typical remark. “You didn’t let me finish. Regina and I think it may be more of a memory of a time when we were together, but somehow-”

“Or _someone_ made us forget.” Regina finished for her, brown eyes never leaving Gold’s.

“Ah,” The man limped around the showcase and rested both hands on top of his cane. “And you think that someone might be me?” He asked although he already knew the answer.

The sheriff and mayor both nodded in unison, the mayor speaking up first. “Precisely. Now, are you going to tell us the truth or are we going to have to find it out through our dreams?”

That infamous annoying shrill of a laugh slipped through thin lips as Gold smirked. “I was wondering when this day would come, dearies. Though I must admit, I thought it’d happen sooner.” He circled the two women. “I may know something about why you two are having the same dream, but it’s going to cost you.”

“Cost us what?” A blonde eyebrow rose.

Thin lips parted to respond to the question but was cut off by the familiar raspy voice of the mayor.

“Nothing. We will give him nothing and he _will_ tell us the meaning of our dreams.” The brunette walked closer to her enemy, invading his personal space as she maintained eye contact with him, daring the imp to challenge her. “Isn’t that true, Mr. Gold?”

The man stood there in silence for a moment, studying Regina before finally responding to the question hanging in the air. “Yes, yes. It will cost you nothing at all.” An aged hand waved dismissively and continued on. “These dreams you two are having are indeed from the past.” He confirmed simply.

Both women looked at each other then back to Gold, speaking in unison. “ _What_?”

“So…Why is it we don’t remember any of it? How did I end up in this world?”

“Why do you think, dearie?” Gold walked around Regina and moved closer to the other woman, continuing without waiting for a response. “Because _I_ supplied your parents with the potion. They wanted you to forget about Regina. To think that you never existed in our world. To do that, they needed what I had.”

“A magic bean.”

“Precisely.”

“Then how come when I broke the curse here they didn’t tell me? How come I don’t remember?”

“And when did my mother ever contact you again for such a favor. If she wanted it done, she could have done it herself.” Regina chimed in, shaking her head. “This doesn’t make any sense. You’re wasting our time.” A tanned hand outstretched to grab the pale one next to her, pulling the blonde behind her to the door. “Come on, we’ll ask your parents.”

An impish laugh escaped thin lips. “You never asked _what_ the potion was I gave your parents.” The pair stopped in their tracks and turned around. Regina was the first to speak. “What was in it?”

“For you,” a slender finger pointed to the brunette. “A simple potion to erase your memories of ever knowing your _true_ love. As for you Miss Swan,” pink lips curve into a smile. “I simply turned back time and made you a baby again.”

“But…” Emma paused, her eyebrows furrowing as her forehead crinkled in deep thought. “Wouldn’t that have turned back time for everyone in the realm?”

The pawn broker’s smile grew. “Now you’ve got it, dearie.”

“Well, that was interesting,” Emma said as she entered the mansion after Regina. She shimmied off her jacket and hung it on the rack, kicking off her shoes and placing them under neatly to keep from Regina fussing.

* * *

 

The older woman nodded in agreement as she watched her girlfriend with arms folded across her chest. “Interesting is the understatement of the year. Everything I knew – thought I knew, it a lie.” Brunette locks shook. “I need a drink.” She spun on her heels and headed straight for the study, tanned hands gripping the decanter as soon as she entered the room. Carefully, Regina poured some of the amber liquid into two tumblers, turning just as Emma arrived in the room to hand her the second one.

“At least now we know the truth, right?” A fair-skinned hand took the offered glass, taking the tanned hand and leading them to the couch. “Now maybe these dreams will stop.”

A soft hum passed through red lips as the older woman followed the younger one. “I don’t know.” She sat down on Emma’s lap. “What if they are trying to warn us of something? Of some mistake, we made back then and are close to making again?”

The blonde wrapped her arm around the slender waist as pink lips wrapped around the rim of the tumbler, her head tilting back a little to drink the beverage. Emma couldn’t deny that Regina had a point. A very good point. Just because they got the truth didn’t mean that was the reason they started having the dreams in the first place. The longer Emma thought about it, the more she had to agree with Regina. “Then we should have that dream before we run into that problem. _If_ that is the reason we are having it. But what if it isn’t? What if it just wants us to know our story?”

“Then we will have nothing to worry about. Let’s just keep our options open, okay? Whatever happens, we will deal with it together.” To seal her promise, Regina cupped Emma’s cheek with her free hand and leaned down to kiss her softly.

Emma instantly deepened the kiss, eyes slipping shut as she reveled in the moment. Reluctantly, she pulled away with a smile, nodding while emerald hues locked onto chocolate ones. “Okay.”


End file.
